Free Calculator
Fill Dirt Calculator — How Much Fill Dirt Do I Need?
Cubic yards and delivered cost for grading and backfill.
3. Enter Dimensions
Your order summary lands here
As soon as the dimensions are valid, you will see the recommended quantity, truckload count, and the ZIP pricing step.
Use this calculator to size bulk fill dirt for grading projects, low-spot repair, pool removal, foundation backfill, and pad building. Fill dirt is sold by the cubic yard.
How to use this fill dirt calculator
- 1
Measure the area or volume
For a flat fill, use length × width and the depth you need. For a hole, estimate length × width × average depth.
- 2
Pick a depth
Low-spot fill: 4–8 inches. Pad building: 12 inches in lifts. Foundation backfill: trench depth.
- 3
Account for compaction
Fill compacts 15–25% under traffic and watering. The calculator buffer includes this for most jobs.
- 4
Enter your ZIP
Florida ZIPs return delivered pricing per cubic yard. Large fill jobs ship in 15 cy tri-axle loads.
How the math works
Volume in cubic yards equals Length × Width × Depth ÷ 27. For complex shapes, break the area into rectangles and circles and add the volumes.
Fill dirt compacts significantly. Order roughly 20% more than the strict math for any application that will be driven on or built on. The calculator buffer reflects this.
For pads under sheds, foundations, or driveways, fill in 8-inch lifts and compact each lift before adding the next. A single 24-inch dump never compacts properly.
How much does fill dirt cover?
Quick reference for how much area one ton and one cubic yard cover at common depths.
| Depth | 1 ton covers | 1 cubic yard covers |
|---|---|---|
| 1" | — sold by yard — | 324 sq ft |
| 2" | — sold by yard — | 162 sq ft |
| 3" | — sold by yard — | 108 sq ft |
| 4" | — sold by yard — | 81 sq ft |
| 6" | — sold by yard — | 54 sq ft |
| 12" | — sold by yard — | 27 sq ft |
Coverage is volume-based — one cubic yard always covers the same area at a given depth regardless of soil density.
Typical quantities by project
| Project | Depth | Area | Estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pool removal 16 ft × 32 ft × 5 ft | 5 ft | 512 sq ft | ~95 cubic yards |
| Low-spot fill 500 sq ft | 6" | 500 sq ft | ~9 cubic yards |
| Shed pad 12 ft × 16 ft | 12" | 192 sq ft | ~7 cubic yards |
| Foundation backfill | varies | varies | request quote |
| Raise driveway 100 ft × 12 ft | 8" | 1,200 sq ft | ~30 cubic yards |
Common ordering mistakes
From real deliveries, these are the mistakes we see most often. Avoiding any one of them saves a callback order.
Confusing fill dirt with topsoil
Fill dirt is structural — sand and subsoil with no organic matter. Topsoil grows plants. Do not use fill where you want to plant, and do not pay topsoil prices for structural fill.
No lifts on deep fills
Dumping 3 feet of fill in one pile and walking away gives you a settling crater within a year. Build in 6–8 inch lifts and compact each one.
Filling against a foundation without drainage
Fill against a foundation wall traps water and pushes against the wall. Add a perimeter drain or use clean stone backfill instead.
Ignoring slope
Fill away from buildings at a 5% slope minimum for 10 feet. Flat fill against a wall is a basement leak waiting to happen.
Wrong material for pool removal
Pool fills need engineered fill (clean sand or sand-clay blend), compacted in lifts, with the bottom of the pool broken up first. Random fill dirt over a sealed pool shell will sink for decades.
Frequently asked questions
Ready to see delivered pricing?
Jump back to the calculator to price the exact quantity for your ZIP, or request a manual quote if the project needs special handling.